that is very true but looking at PPP and demographics at least identifies the correct problem which is as you point out the problem of autonomy and capacity in key industries and strategic goods where the EU is dependent on foreign sources.
Given that I have, in the last week alone, read about a dozen articles about whether German workers have lost their will to work, taxes and regulations and whether Europe is impoverished this article is pretty important. The same has been true for discourse about Japan. Where the common narrative was that the country somehow has not grown in 30 years, but in terms of real output and adjusted for working age the gap even to the US is much smaller.
Given that I have, in the last week alone, read about a dozen articles about whether German workers have lost their will to work, taxes and regulations and whether Europe is impoverished this article is pretty important. The same has been true for discourse about Japan. Where the common narrative was that the country somehow has not grown in 30 years, but in terms of real output and adjusted for working age the gap even to the US is much smaller.